The Ultimate Travel Guide to Iran
I visited Iran in September 2019 in the midst of high tensions and sanctions applied against the country. You can see my reply as how safe Iran is in this article with pictures. In this post, I’d like to talk about the practical aspects of how to organize a trip to Iran.
Understand
Iran has SO MUCH to offer for tourism: history few other countries can rival, architecture and art to mesmerize your eyes, friendly culture to capture your heart, food for the body and soul. Natural wonders are in abundance too: mountains where you can ski, climb and hike are close to Tehran; lush green valleys and beaches are present in the north. Iran has deserts, canyons and let's not ignore the out-of-this-world nature wonders of Qeshm and Hormuz islands. In short, Iran has it all.
Imam Mosque, Esfahan
For a start, I’m referring below my favorite blogs, articles and videos I saw before starting my journey.
YouTube series on Iran by Nick (aka Indigo Traveller) - my favorite adventure traveler ever - genuine, honest, without a trace of narcissism. He travels off the beaten path and his vlogs are awesome. I’ve followed Nick’s recommendations for Nepal and I did for Iran too. More on this later in the post.
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My Persian Corner blog. This is hands down my favorite blog about Iran and it is narrated by Pontia, an Iranian lady born and raised in the US now living in Terhan. I read every single article from her blog, many of them I read twice. Pontia really loves her country and you feel this through her writing.
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Iran is home to nomadic tribes and if you want to learn (and travel) with them, check out this blog of Iran Nomad Tours. I’m sure this will be my next experience in Iran, hopefully soon!
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If you want to understand better the bigger picture of Iran in the Middle East, watch the Planet Oil (Episode 2) documentary. Thanks a lot to Negar who shared this documentary with me.
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To understand the complex situation of US-Iran standoff, the best article I found is this timeline of key events by Al Jazeera.
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If, like me, you care about education and science, see this Nature Magazine article on how US sanctions are crippling science in Iran.
There is a ton of other content online in Iran, but these links above are my personal favorite selection.
Quicklinks
Exchange Rates, Rials and Tomans
Visa
Visitors need Visa and a passport valid for at least 6 months before entering Iran. If you have a passport from a country marked in dark green, you can enter Visa free. Countries in light green can get visa on arrival at international airports in Iran. Visa applications for the latter can also be done online here.
Iran Visa policy (Image credits: Wikipedia)
US and UK citizens need to obtain Visa in advance and are obligated to be on a guided tour all the time.
Any person with Israeli passport or evidence of visiting Israel is denied entry.
All visitors to Iran require valid insurance with the explicit mention “Valid for Iran” or “Valid for the Islamic Republic of Iran”. Insurance valid “worldwide” will be rejected. I got an insurance in advance from IATI. They are one of the few companies that offer insurance for Iran. It is also possible to buy an insurance upon arrival at the IKA airport in Tehran.
EU passport visa fee is 80 EUR. You can pay the fee in EUR cash upon your arrival.
As of 2019, they won’t stamp your passport at immigration in Iran. This means if you do your Visa online, there is zero trace in your passport that you visted Iran.
If you travel to Iran, you will be exempted from the US Visa Waiver Program and will need to obtain a US visa from a US embassy. If you are Bulgarian, you are already considered “dangerous” for the US, so nothing changes for you.
For further information, as well as visiting free trade zones in Iran, see this Wikipedia page and consult the local Iranian diplomatic mission in your country.
Dresscode
Women. Admission to the country is refused to women not wearing headscarf. All of us women put the headscarves while in the airplane, a few minutes before landing in Tehran. Headscarf is mandatory at all public places and sometimes on hotel premises. Ask your hotel for the rules. Long sleeves need to cover the elbows. Long pants/skirt should be ankle length. You can wear your headscarf loose and in any color you like. Makeup is not a problem at all. If you want to blend in, wear a loose long coat. Flip flops/sandals are OK.
Men. No shorts. You have it easy!
Iranian Calendar
This one is a bit tricky, because the majority of the population lives and operates with the Gregorian Calendar. However, you will find that if you want to book a flight, bus or train ticket from an Iranian website, they could be using the Persian Calendar in which it’s not 2019, but 1398. To make things more fun, the months have also different names. It just adds to the overal experience of Iran. To be sure what day you are booking your trips for, use this time conversion website.
Money
PayPal, Visa and MasterCard don’t work in Iran because of the sanctions. You can’t make bank transfers to Iran either. You have two solutions:
Use MahCard - an Iranian prepaid debit card designed for tourists and temporary visitors. You can instantly add funds to the card (in cash or online), in your preferred currency and convert it to Iranian Rial (IRR). Here are more details on how the card works.
Plan well and take all the money you will need in cash. You can’t buy Iranian Rial outside Iran, so the only option is to bring in EUR or USD. I brought cash in EUR and exchanged at a local office in Tehran. I recommend not exchanging more than 100 EUR at a time.
Exchange Rates, Rials and Tomans
Here is where... it gets crazy. There are three exchange rates for the Iranian Rial (IRR). The exchange rate you see online on Google Search is NOT the real one. At the time of writing, according to Google, 1 EUR = 46,462.83 IRR. However, while I was there, in reality, 1 EUR = 125,000 IRR. Check the daily rates for IRR here. Constant tensions with the US mean the Western exchange rates are false and the Rial value fluctuates a lot. That’s the situation.
There’s more. Because prices in Rials have lots of zeros, people use Tomans when they say the prices instead of Rials.
1 Toman = 10 Rials
In 2019, the government started considering to make the Toman the official currency in Iran. This will take time, so it’s not clear when the Toman will replace the Rial. Everyone gives you the price in Tomans anyways. If you want the price in Rials, ask for it expicitly. I know this might sound overwhelming, but honestly you get used to it pretty quickly.
Internet & SIM card
The Internet in Iran is filtered. YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, among others, are inaccessible. Other websites can appear altered. For example, this website was shown as basic HTML without CSS nor JavaScript and no images were loaded. If you try to reach the blocked websites, you get a white blank page. Instagram is available with limited functionality. You can’t add animated GIFs and music to your Insta Story from what I experienced. WhatsApp and Telegram are available and popular.
Everyone in Iran uses VPN. I didn’t use VPN because I wanted to experience what it’s like to live with filtered Internet.
You can buy a SIM card loaded with 3GB data + calls and SMS for less than 10 EUR. You need to show your passport upon purchase.
Planning
How do you organize a trip to Iran when there is no Booking.com no AirBnb and you can’t pay online with VISA, MasterCard or PayPal? The currency you use is TRUST. It’s not that hard to do.
For planning, I used Google Maps, WhatsApp and email and did the following:
I chose all cities I want to visit on Google Maps.
Put a pin in all points of interest in each city and decided on the duration of my stay.
Looked for accommodation in a convenient distance from my points of interest.
Looked for a website, e-mail address or WhatsApp phone number for each accommodation I selected. I contacted each hotel either by WhatsApp or by email to make my reservation. This is where trust comes to play. You need to trust the reservation is booked for you. Your host needs to trust you that you will come and pay.
At this point, I realized that no matter how much research I did, I will never learn properly how to read Farsi, navigate around the streets and I have no idea about the general level of English in Iran. This is where I remembered Nick’s video and decided to contact Hamid.
Contacts in Iran
This is the most personal point in the blog post because I met all these people and they are now friends. If you contact them, please be responsible and with serious intentions of visiting Iran.
I’ve listed the people in the chronological order I met them.
Hamid. My trip to Iran would not be possible without him. My initial Visa application got rejected and Hamid helped me get a visa approval. Hamid made sure I was safe and we kept in touch throughout my trip. He’s a very generous and honest person and he also connected me with Farid and Aghil which I met later in my trip - all three of them are legends! :) Contact Hamid for any help with your Visa, solo travel or if you want to go on an organized tour across Iran.
Hamid’s contact information: Instagram • Email • TripAdvisor
Farid. I met Farid in Kashan and I was very happy to have him around because he knows a lot about the city, Iranian culture and is very easy to talk to. Farid is a cosmopolitan soul and a fellow traveler. He genuinely wants you to have a good time in Kashan. I happened to be in Kashan during the Muharram and the streets were so so busy that I'd be literally lost without Farid!
If you travel to Kashan, contact Farid on Instagram here (or ask Hamid to get you in touch).
Aghil. You will surely visit Esfahan during your stay in Iran. Aghil is THE man to meet there and one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. He eats books for breakfast and will not stop mentioning fact after fact about the buildings, history and archeology in Iran. Be ready also for some serious laughs with him. Aghil, if you read this, I hope you enjoy your next Mango Khan shake :-D
If you travel to Esfahan, contact Aghil on Instagram here (or ask Hamid to get you in touch):
Aref. Sending blessings to the people on Google Maps who left positive reviews for Aref’s Homestay in Qeshm Island, because this is how I found him. All the positive reviews are 100% true. These last few days of my trip were memorable and I got the best introduction into Qeshm culture thanks to Aref. I’d recommend his place anytime!
Please DO NOT contact me and ask me for any prices of tours from the above contacts. I will not share any such information, as this affects their businesses. All I will say is that they are very honest people and will not overcharge you. In general, people in Iran never tried to rip me off. The above mentioned guys are pure gold and I ask again and again only serious, honest travelers to get in touch with them.
Itinerary & Hotels
I did the classic Iran trip for this first journey: Tehran, Kashan, Abyaneh, Esfahan, Yazd, Shiraz + Qeshm and Hormuz Islands. The only places that not so many people go to is Qeshm and Hormuz islands. I definitely recommend you to take 2-3 extra days to see this part of Iran. Iran is quite diverse and you can feel this if you travel to the very south. Here below is a screenshot of where I traveled.
I’m also leaving the information of the places I stayed. Note that I’m NOT payed or in partnership to promote any of these places. Opinions and recommendations are my own and are genuine.
Tehran - Hi Tehran Hostel - You can make a booking online (without paying).
This is a well known hostel where you will find peace and quiet in Tehran. I loved all the staff in the Hostel who were young, friendly and very helpful. We had discussions until early mornings with staff and fellow travelers every night. I was the only solo female traveler and had the female dorm room all to myself. Everything was clean, tidy and you have a locker for your bag.
Kashan - Puppet House Museum
I loved this adorable guesthouse. The staff (again) were nice and friendly. The owner Amir is a wonderful person and a musician. He took all of us guests on a cultural day experience in a nearby village to see a performance for The Mourning of Muharram. A lot of the guests here were Iranians and I had a feeling to be part of a big Iranian family - lots of friendships and jokes were made. Finally, the room was absolutely beautiful with handmade colorful decorations. It looked like a fairy-tale dream.
Esfahan - Keryas Hotel
This is the only hotel I stayed in Iran and it was great. On the first night, the manager Masoud took me to see the bridges of Esfahan and on the second night we had tea with his friends. This happened totally spontaneously, he asked nothing in exchange and I’ll remember such acts of generosity and kindness forever. This hotel is not only beautiful, but is also located in the best place - just behind Imam Mosque. If you have a short stay in Esfahan, I think there’s no better place to stay because you will save a lot of walking time.
Yazd - Narenjestan Traditional House
Another fairy-tale-like place to stay. This house has only a few guest rooms and feels just like being at home. The decorations, colors, and inner yard are very pretty. You can go on the rooftop and get a view of the city. In Yazd I went out every day quite early in the morning and came back late at night, so I didn’t have much time to stay and enjoy the place, but you can surely chill out here.
Shiraz - Ana Boutique Hotel
The name says hotel, but I’d say it felt more like a guesthouse as you literally stay in a charming familiy-run house with a beautiful inner yard. It’s 300m near the famous Nasr ol-Molk (Pink Mosque) which is useful for coming in before the tourist crowds. The owner Yoones is super helpful with advice what to see in Shiraz and he can help you visit Persepolis too.
Qeshm - Aref Homestay
This is the same Aref as mentioned above. He opened his home to tourists in 2018 and my last days in Iran were full of beautiful memories in Qeshm and Hormuz staying there. There are two guestrooms in his home and one separate traditional style room outside. If you stay with Aref, you will meet his family which makes the experience so personal.
Eating in Iran + as Vegan/Vegetarian
If you are a “religious” vegan/vegetarian outraged by anyone who is not worshiping the avocado toast... well... your unicorn dreams will be crushed in Iran. I’m a very very very relaxed vegan. I eat vegan 95% of the time. The other 5% I love a good old omelette or cheese. With that being said guys... if you are super strict you won’t have a great time with vegan food in Iran. And actually, you’ll miss out on lots of good food opportunities.
During the Muharram, I was given free food offerings. That’s how I ate lamb for the first time in my life. It was very interesting to eat meat after 14 years without it. Then there was the time I asked for vegetarian rice which came with meat 😅 The waiter came to me to apologize for this mistake and to ask me why I don’t eat meat. For many people in Iran not eating meat is unimaginable. I didn’t meet a single vegan on my trip.
If you eat vegetarian, be ready to eat loads of bread, eggplants and Shirazi salad. The eggplant dish comes with creamy/liquid cheese “kashk”.
On the island of Qeshm we had the best shrimps ever, in Aref’s home, and also in a restaurant on Hormuz Island. You’ll seriously be missing if you don’t try these. I also had some wonderful mushroom curry... which turned out to be chicken hearts with curry. Thanks, Aref 🤣
To the defense of Iranians, I’m currently reading about other countries in the Middle East and being vegetarian isn’t common anywhere in the region.
Don’t miss out on the pomegranate and watermelon juice! These huge glasses of freshness will cost you less than 2 EUR, which is a pure luxury given the prices in Europe.
All in all, Iranian food is super delicious and here below is the proof!
Local Transport
Traffic. Iran traffic is notorious, but honestly, I’ve seen much worse. If you’ve been to Ho Chi Minh City, I’m sure you know what “praying for your life while crossing the street” means. People in the cities in Iran don’t care much about traffic rules, however, they don’t drive aggressively. The general rules of common sense apply: stay calm, cross with confidence, don’t run while crossing. Drivers are careful with tourists and crossing is not that much of a hasstle.
Taxi. Snapp is the Iranian alternative of Uber. It’s cheaper than regular taxi. If you use regular taxi, make sure you agree on the price before you get in the car.
Car. The only time I used a private car was from Kashan to Esfahan because on my way I wanted to visit Abyaneh village. The highway infrastructure quality is the same as Europe, but with less traffic. I never experienced traffic jams from any city to another.
Bus. I traveled with inter-city buses which were quite luxurious by European standards. In Europe you feel like a cramped sardine in buses. In Iran the buses have big seats and only 3 seats per entire row: one separate and two joint on the opposite site. As a woman, you’ll either sit alone or next to another woman.
Plane. I flew with Iran Air from Shiraz to Qeshm and Qeshm Air from Qeshm to Tehran. Guys... here’s another proof of how absurd the sanctions against Iran are. Iran Air is banned from flying in Europe BUT all the aircraft are made in Europe! Their fleet consists of AIRBUS (made in France and used by major companies such as Lufthansa) and Fokker (Made in Netherlands and used by KLM). How CRAZY is this?
Boat. I traveled with a ferry from Qeshm to Hormuz and it was the same like European standards.
Fellow Travellers
I usually don’t have anything to say about fellow travelers in the countries I visit. But in Iran, the people who come to visit are pretty much hard core lovers of Iranian culture. I met so many people that told me they wanted to visit Iran for a long time and were very happy to finally be there. I met 4 other female solo travelers. I also saw twice young families traveling with their babies. I met only one American and he was also glad to have visited. There was a feeling of cheerful camaraderie and mutual support between foreigners. I haven’t experienced this in other countries.
I want to quote here a man from Algeria who I met in Kashan because he said something interesting. He said he believed Westerners have a duty to visit Iran and learn the truth about the country.
Qeshm Island mangrove as seen from the air.
Code of Conduct
Iran is very safe. BUT you need to follow the rules and respect the local laws.
Follow the dress code at all times. In Shiraz I got a rash on my neck, I think, because the weather was too hot. It was hard to wear the headscarf while my neck was red and itching all the time for days. But that’s the situation. I never mentioned about my rash to anyone. This post is the first time I talk about it and it’s to make this point: remarks about the headscarf as a tourist, no matter your circumstance, is a disrespect towards the women who have to wear it daily.
Big cameras are perfectly OK, but don’t take pictures of military buildings. If you are not sure, ask before you take a photo. Always ask for permission before you photograph people’s faces, especially women. While I was in the country, two tourists got arrested for flying a drone in a location which happened to be close to a military base. As a photographer, I understand the urge to take a great shot. But I honestly feel little sympathy for people that own drones and don’t respect local laws.
Talking about any topic with Iranians is OK. In fact, I had many interesting conversations with both women and men about anything you can imagine. Iranians are much more open minded than the image the news gives them. Use your intuition to sense if a person can take a joke or two. This is especially true if your jokes are as bad as mine.
No singing or loud music in public. You can listen all the music you want with headphones. In private cars and taxis turning up the volume a little bit goes without an issue.
Responsible Travel to Iran
I heard more than one story of people who book tours for Iran and cancel in the last moment. Iranians are not stupid, they know about the negative news out there and how this makes people afraid to come. Remember what I said about trust earlier. Trust is the main way people can book trips to Iran at the moment, because online pre-payment doesn’t work.
If you asked for help for your Visa, this means someone paid money for you, took time and submitted documents to arrange your journey. Sometimes this can be up to 100 EUR for arranging a US visa. If you cancel your trip in the last moment, a person in Iran will end up losing 100 EUR. This is a lot of money in Iran.
I understand that Iran is not a destination every person is ready to visit right now. When I came back to Europe, some people told me they are not “adventurous enough” to visit Iran. That’s totally fine. But if you do want to go, please be responsible towards the people who take care of you. At the end of the day, behind every email, hotel, organization, document form, there is a human being. All I want to say is please consider the human aspect in your travels and try not to harm people who already have a hard time doing business while sanctions apply.
Final Thoughts
One last thing. During my trip to Iran so many random people on the streets told me “Welcome to Iran”, “Thank you for visiting”. On the airplane leaving Shiraz, one flight attendant told me “Welcome to Shiraz”, even though I was leaving. These brief encounters brought happiness and sadness at the same time to my heart. One one hand, people here made me feel at home. On the other hand, I felt crushed because of the biased and incorrect way they are presented to the world. I promise you that if you start your journey to Iran with love and trust, you will be rewarded with friendly encounters and an experience of a lifetime. I’m sure that just like me, you’ll want to be back again one day.
Qeshm Island, the very last picture I took on my trip.
Copyright © Alex Kovacheva, Nomad Photos. All rights reserved.